Method of imitating wood graining



March 21, 1933. G. A.'ROSE METHOD OF IMITATING WOOD GRAINING Filed Aug.31. 1929 0.54 uvnibr (F/worm Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE GUSTAIE ALBIN ROSE, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DAHLSTROMMETALLIC DOOR COMPANY, 01 JTAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK warrior or mITATmG WOOD GRAINING Application filed August 31, 1929.Serial No. 389,855.

My invention relates to 'an improved method of producing imitationwood-graining-effects on metallic and other hard surfaces.

The primary object of the invention is the production of a method whichcan be used in simulating the grain or pores of wood on concaved, convexand irregularly formed surfaces as readily as on flat surfaces.

In methods now in use for simulating wood graining on metallic or likesurfaces, the makeup required to prepare the surface for finaltreatment, during which the wood pores of certain woods are simulated,necessltates the use of photographic negatives of the grain to besimulated, the different lights of which are reproduced on metal in theform of high and low regions; the low regions or parts being filled withpaint which is transferred to the surface of the metal to receive thegraining efi'ect. Other similar more or less complicated and expensivemethods are also employed, all of which make it impossible to simulatewood pores or graining on concave, convex or other curved surfaces; thusmaking it necessary to resort to hand'graining of such parts, requiringthe. services of skilled and expensive artisans to match theefl'ectproduced in the adjacent flat regions under the method employed. Thisresults in easily discernible breaks or irregularities in the finishedwork, since it is. found extremely. diflicult to produce, under handgraining, the finer grain lines so essential to a perfect simulation ofwood graining. I

It is'the purpose of. my invention to enable unskilled labor to simulatewood grains or pores, of most kinds of wood, under my improved method,as readily and effectively as can be produced by skilled artisans and toenable any skilled artisan to simulate the more complex graining ofcertainkinds of wood more expeditiously, and at less cost than anymethod known to me, and also to assure perfect simulation of wood grainsunder such conditions on all kinds/of metallic claims.

orming part the novel steps employedin my improved method, all ashereinafter described and more particularly set out in the appended Inthe drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sheetmetal article ofconstruction, prepared with a coat of priming paint to provide the proer color' or ground for the graining to e applied thereto under myimprove method; the article shown having flat and convex surfaceportions.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the article of construction partlytreated under the next step in my improved method; a pressure spray-gunbeing shown in the act of stippling the colored or ground-coveredsurface of the article.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the arti cle of construction stippledand part of the previously stippled surface brushed out to form woodpores or grain under action of a brush capable of being moved into,over, or along curved or irregular as well as flat surface portions. c

In practicing my invention, I employ simple and easlly performed steps,such as can, in most cases, be easily exercised by persons unskilled inthe art and of average intelligence.

Thesteps of my improved method 1 are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing to v intended, or when so prepared by applying the proper groundcoating for the same, it is stippled in any suitable way by applyingthereto, irregular spatters 9 of paint of de- I sired contrasting,preferably darker, color;

the color, of course, being such as will accurately match the color ofthe pores of the kind of wood to be imitated. Such spatters orpaintregions are of varying areas anddensities; the areas ranging frompin-pomt or infinitesimal areas to quite marked areas, as clearlyindicated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing.

This irregular stippling effect may be produced in any suitable manner;but experiments have shownthat the cleanest,

most effective, and quickest method of ap plying the same is by meansofa spraygun, preferably operated under pressure; but any other method ofapplying the stippled paint to the article may be used.

A spray gun, however, operated under proper pressure, will mosteifectively apply the diiferent size spatters orcvaried areas of paintin isolated regions, to assure a true simulation of the natural woodgrain sought to be imitated, since it applies to the surface the finerand infinitesimal paint spatters or isolated regions of paint sonecessary in simulating the finer grains or pores of the wood, as wellas the varying large and intermediate sizes of spatters or regions, fromwhich the heavy wood pores and the coarser grain lines arerespectivelyformed. The application of the various sizes, densities, andnumber of spatters may be controlled by the length of time the spray gunis used in so applyin the paint over any given surface. In simdlatingfinegrain wood, the formation of very heavy spatters or isolated paintregions is not desired, and this is controlled by shortening the timeintervals of so applying the paint.

For certain coarse grained wood, whether straight grained, or otherwise,the paint is appliedby means of the spray gun for longer periods oftime, so that spatters or isolated paint regions will be enlarged inplaces by one spatter finding lodgement over or in overlapping relationto another; the effect of which will be presently explained. This efiectmay, of course, be seor surfaces.

cured with a spray gun constructed or adjusted to assure the deposit oflarger quantities of paint and heavier spatters. I

The suitably colored surface which will lend the proper background,whether unprepared or prepared, when stippled or spattered with isolatedpaint specks or regions of varying sizes and densities, is given furthertreatment, while the stippled or spattered paint is still wet; and itmay here be stated that the base or ground, which is the prepared orunprepared surface of an article before being stippled or paintspattered, should be of a shade or hue which approximates that of thewood to be imitated. For example, imitation of cherry or mahoganyrequire a base or ground color of a shade approaching the red order, oneof course lighter than the other; while oak and maple require a shadeapproaching yellow and brown, respectively.

This explanation is not to be understood as limiting or restrictive inany sense, but is used herein to illustrate the need of varying colorsor shades of colors when imitating different kinds of wood, which willbe understood by those skilled in the art to which'this inventionrelates.

While still wet, the paint spatters or isolated paint regions 9 ofvarying sizes are subjected to a spreading action, which may be effectedby brushing the same in a straight-lined course, or substantially so,Without guidance of a straight edge or similar device, since straightgrained wood is more or less wavy in nature, such as would occur inattempting to spread or brush out the spatters or isolated paint regionsin an unguided manner along a straight course.

. In imitating certain kinds of woods, such as circassian walnut orother woods having a curled grain, the spreading of thespatters or paintregions may be elfected by a straight-lined movement accompanied by acomponent circular or transverse movement of the spreading medium.

Other kinds of wood. may necessitate still difierent movements of thespreading medium; all of which will be understood by those skilled inthis art.

It will be apparent that by. spraying or otherwise applying the spattersor isolated paint regions on the article, particularly by I force, underpressure or otherwise, such spatters or isolated paint regions willcover convex and relief surface portions of various kinds and erfirconcavities or depressed portions as re ily as covering fiat portions Itis therefore of decided advantage to efl'ect the spreading-or elongatingof the spatters or isolated paint regions by means of some device ormedium which is conformable under pressure, such as is necessary toapply, to curved surfaces,

whether convex or concave, and which is also capable of enteringdepressed portions, or corners or angles of an article and efiect aspreading or brushing-out of the spatters as thoroughly and completelyas can be effected on flat surfaces.

With this in view, I prefer to employ a brush, such as shown at 10, Fig.3, which has its bristles or other brushing or spreading elements 11,gradually lengthened from one end of the brush to the other; therebyproviding a decidedly pointed end 12, which can be entered indepressions and crevices, and directed into corners or angular portions.That end of a brush so formed and having the long bristles or brushingelements can conform itself under proper pressure to concaved andconvexed sur ace portions; and thus, articles of varied forms orsections can be treated alike, under my improved method, on all surfaceportions.

The brush 10 may have a suitable handle,

suchas 13, or otherwise; and in its move-- ments over the stippled orirregularly spattered surface, will be directed as required to efi'ectthe desired markings.

It will, of course, be understood that the spread or brushed-outspatters of paint will, regardless of the manner of spreading orbrushing, leave uncovered regions between the markings lines orimitation pores so formed; such uncovered regions being exlposures ofportions of the base or ground co or.

After simulating the graining of any wood in this manner, as indicatedat 14, one or more coats of varnish or other finishing substances areapplied and rubbed or otherwise treated in a manner well known.

Where, in the claims, the. word paint is employed, it shall include anysubstance possessing the, qualities to cover a surface or surfaceregions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The method ofsimulating the grain of natural wood on a metallic or other hardsurface, which consists in irregularly spat-' ings of varying degrees offineness to simu-- late the pores of the wood to be imitated. 2. Themethod of simulating the grain of natural wood on a metallic or otherhard surface, which consists in covering such surface with a' groundcoat of paint of or approximating the hue of the wood to be imitated, inthen applying paint of a contrasting color to the ground coat byspattering the same to form comparatively small isolated paint regionsof different densities and areas; and in then applying a suitable objectto the paint-spattered surface and moving said object under pressurev tos read the spatters and connect the paint 0 one with manner to a readymetallic or other another to create lines and elongated regionssimulating the pores or grain of the wood being imitated. 7

3. The method of imitating wood grain, which consists in applying in anirre lag surface, spatters of aint of sizes varying from regions hardlyiscernible to comparatively large regions, and in working said spatterswhile wet into changed outlines or regions thinned out under suchworking to simulate pores or graining of wood.

4. In a method of simulatin wood graining on a metallic or other harsurfacehaving or prepared with the desired color of or approaching thehue of the wood to be imitated, the application of spatters of paint tosuch surface by directing the paint under force andthrough space insegregated andvarying minute quantities, and in working said spatterswhile wet into changed outlines .1

or regions thinned out by pressure applied under straight line movementaccompanied by a component circular or transverse movement of thespreading medium.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

GUSTAF ALBIN BOSE.

